Speech #570092902

I am fully aware of the fact that the questions were different. I meant to say that they were both questions pertaining to treaty obligations and international obligations. and that the answer to those objections was contained in the fact that this legislation is based upon broad principles of national selfpreservation. and in the opinion of the committee it can be sustained on those grounds. As regards the $3 head tax. after the explanations which have been given by the Senator from Massachussets and the Senator from Indiana . it is hardly necessary. for me to detain the Senate by any further remarks upon that subject. but it is a matter of absolute factwhether it is the opinion of the Senator from New Hampshire or notthat the expenses of the Immigration Bureau can not be met by a per capita tax of $1.50. If the Senate is. prepared to abandon the timehonored policy of the Government. which has been that the cost of the administration of this law should be defrayed from a fund collected from those benefited thereby. namely. the immigrants themselves. and if our own people are to have imposed upon them additional burdens in order to have this law executed. then I say let us continue the tax at $1.50. but if we are to adhere to that policy it must be made at least $3. Only this morning the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration and the commissioner of Ellis Island stated positively that the work of the bureau could not be continued at the present per capita tax.